While we all love listening to music on our smartphones thanks to the plethora of streaming services available or even on the good, old-fashioned car radio, nothing compares to catching a live performance. From more obvious music cities like Nashville and Austin, to lesser-known music destinations like Asheville and Miami, we’ve rounded up the best U.S. cities for music lovers. Perhaps most notable on this list is Key West, which has become known as “Music Town” due to a musical renaissance that has brought an influx of national acts to the island.
Although mellow reggae groves playing in Old Town may be the first thing you think of when someone says “Key West,” this charming island city has much more music to offer. Head on over to The Keys Collection in New Town for a series of concerts on the Sunset Green, an event venue unlike any other who has hosted The Beach Boys; this spring, catch performances by Here Come the Mummies, George Thorogood & The Destroyers, and The Temptations. Hotel guests can also listen to live music daily at the poolside bar Rum Row, or even partake in a jam session with locals (experience available upon request). Travelers looking to be in the middle of the action should visit The Marker Waterfront Resort, where singer-songwriters like Justin Angelo and Shashtina and reggae artists like Joe Sambo and Alex Anthony are regular performers. For more high-energy music fans, the hotel hosts performances by beloved Key West local DJ Gunz.
Most commonly referred to as “Music City,” when one thinks of Nashville, music automatically comes to mind. For years, Nashville has served as the U.S. hub for country and western music, and Nashville today is no different. For all things country, visit the world-famous Grand Ole Opry, where you can catch country legends and even current chart-toppers. However, Nashville isn’t all country music. The city has a strong indie rock scene, with the Black Keys and Paramore being some of many.
Also known as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin might just be the U.S.’s best city to catch a live show. Bar-lined streets make the city the best place to stumble upon obscure live acts, while famed festivals like South-by-South-West or Austin City Limits make it a city worthy of the nation’s hottest acts. Our favorite intimate venue? Continental Club in the hipster South Congress neighborhood, a venue featuring both national and local rock, country, jazz and blues acts.
This beachside oasis loves its DJs, and for good reason. From Kygo to Diplo to even Deadmau5, the 305 has seen all the hottest acts. Those in the mood for a more laidback DJ scene should head to the Shelborne South Beach, where a new DJ plays poolside every Saturday night. If electronic music isn’t your scene, then visit the Art Deco hotel on Thursdays and Fridays for live jazz, pop or Latin performances in The Drawing Room.
This small, yet vibrant city is a musical hotspot in its own right. Here, music happens in unexpected spaces. Exhibit A: White Horse Black Mountain; what once served as a car dealership has quickly turned into one of the city’s most buzzed-about venues. With venues like these, “America’s Best-Kept Music Secret” is finally getting the recognition it deserves.
